Witherspoon is now an unrestricted free agent. A message left with Witherspoon's agent, Tom Condon, was not immediately returned.

Witherspoon played weak-side linebacker for St. Louis but was originally brought to Philly to play middle linebacker after Omar Gaither was lost for the season. Witherspoon eventually made it back to weak-side when Akeem Jordan got hurt. Jordan, a restricted free agent, received a second-round tender yesterday. It looks as if Jordan, who played some middle linebacker after he returned from his knee injury, will get his weak-side position back.

Witherspoon was also slated to earn $5 million in base pay this season. The Eagles said they released the 8-year veteran today, the first day of free agency, so that he would have the opportunity to catch on somewhere else.